Renesas' ZigBee Solution Adopted by FAST for Wireless-Enabled Food Management Systems at Commercial Kitchens.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The Renesas M16C Based ZigBee System Allowed FAST to Accelerate the Development of Its Upcoming Mesh Network Communications Products

Renesas Technology America, Inc., a subsidiary of leading microcontroller supplier, Renesas Technology Corp., today announced that Food Automation -- Service Techniques, Inc. (FAST), a leader in the design and manufacture of electronic appliance controls and timers for the food industry, has selected a Renesas ZigBee(TM) system solution for its new Xwire(TM) line of Mesh Network Protocol wireless-communication products. Both companies are demonstrating their respective products at the Embedded Systems Conference in San Jose, Calif., which is being held now through April 7th.

The Renesas ZigBee system is a comprehensive platform that accelerates the development of reliable, cost-effective low-data-rate wireless applications. It includes a robust 16-bit M16C microcontroller, IEEE 802.15.4 standards-based radios, a ZigBee software stack, media access control (MAC) software, real-time operating system (RTOS), and an integrated development environment. Software and drivers were developed and optimized in house by Renesas, and tuned with the assistance of FAST to meet the reliability and performance requirements necessary for networking in commercial kitchens and other industrial applications. The Renesas M16C family offers scalable on-chip memory resources, IO, peripherals, packages and very low electromagnetic interference (EMI) electromagnetic susceptibility (EMS), which makes it ideal for RF designs. FAST, in cooperation with its partner SCK Direct, Inc., is now deploying pilot Xwire systems at its clients' testing facilities and at selected test restaurants here in the U.S. and overseas. Further, it has identified and is pursuing other product ideas for the Renesas ZigBee solution.

"By working with Renesas, we were able to rapidly deliver cost effective wireless connectivity solutions to our clients," said George Koether, President and COO of FAST. "For example the combination of FAST's Xwire hardware products and SCK Direct, Inc's Kitchen Advisor(TM) software allows foodservice operators to orchestrate just-in-time management practices resulting in increased food quality, profitability, and safety."

"We are pleased that FAST has selected our M16C based ZigBee platform as the choice for robust, economical connectivity solutions in commercial kitchens," said Tim Dry, senior manager of market development, Renesas Technology America. "By using the ZigBee mesh networking method, we were able to successfully establish a stable wireless network to connect multiple kitchen appliances reliably day after day, in an environment where multiple interference sources challenge the radios. We will continue to build on this success to provide more complete, reliable connectivity solutions with true networking capabilities. We will also continue to actively participate in technology alliances such as the ZigBee Alliance to promote standards and interoperability for future technology specifications."

About the FAST Xwire(TM) products

FAST Xwire products allow foodservice operators to connect multiple appliances and timers efficiently for synchronizing food equipment and monitoring inventory levels, energy consumption and usage levels. They can be used to link together existing FAST equipped appliances and timers and other communications-enabled appliances, either controlled by kitchen automation software or just connected point-to-point. Systems that combine Xwire hardware platforms with the Kitchen Advisor(TM) smart kitchen automation software from SCK Direct, Inc. will allow just-in-time food management methods that increase food quality, profitability and safety.

Reader contact

Readers can find additional product and contact information on the Renesas Technology Web site at www.renesas.com. More details on FAST electronic appliance controls and timers for the food industry are available at www.fastinc.com. Information of Kitchen Advisor(TM) kitchen automation software and applications can be found at www.mysck.com.

About Renesas Technology Corp.

Renesas Technology Corp. is one of the world's leading semiconductor system solutions providers for mobile, automotive and PC/AV (Audio Visual) markets and the world's No.1 supplier of microcontrollers. It is also a leading provider of LCD Driver ICs, Smart Card microcontrollers, RF-ICs, High Power Amplifiers, Mixed Signal ICs, System-on-Chip (SoC), System-in-Package (SiP) and more. Established in 2003 as a joint venture between Hitachi, Ltd. (TOKYO:6501) (NYSE:HIT) and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO:6503), Renesas Technology achieved consolidated revenue of 1002.4 billion JPY in FY2004 (end of March 2005). Renesas Technology is based in Tokyo, Japan and has a global network of manufacturing, design and sales operations in around 20 countries with about 26,000 employees worldwide. For further information, please visit http://www.renesas.com.

NOTE: Xwire is a trademark of Food Automation -- Service Techniques, Inc. Kitchen Advisor(TM) is a trademark of SCK Direct, Inc. ZigBee is a trademark of Konink Philips Electronics N.V. All other products and services mentioned are trademarks of their respective companies.